On the Road to Exile
by insinr8
Summary: Prequel for To Hell and Back. Recommend reading that story before this. Where did Kuromaru, Enishi, Sayu and Raiden come from? How did they get to be captains? How are they acquainted with the rest of Soul Society?
1. Prologue

**In case you didn't notice the summary, I will say again that I do not recommend reading this until you have read at least some of my other story, To Hell and Back.**

**This is the prequel to that. It will explain the backstory. Please enjoy.  
**

On the Path to Exile

Prologue: Escape

The twelve-year-old had waited and prepared long and hard for this chance. He raced to the doorway and jammed his meal plate in it slightly so that the door couldn't fully shut. He counted off in his head to 6000 before he pulled open the door and ran down the hall behind it to the far end. He opened another door and slipped in, letting it close behind him. He took out a small knife and pried off a few boards covering the bottom of the closet and then squeezed into the space. He crawled for a long time, but continued on knowing that sooner or later, he would be free. When he finally reached outside, he scrambled to get as far away from the decrepit building as possible. He didn't care that his legs were burning up from the strain. He was finally free! Free to get away from the monster he'd been forced to call "father" for four excruciating years.

When he was a safe distance away, he stopped to catch his breath before he cautiously explored his surroundings. The houses around were pitted, cracked and rundown, the victims of many years of existence in an area where fighting occurred on an hourly basis. Suddenly hearing a sound, he jumped behind a wall and hid.

"Man, this place sure doesn't look like it has food," a voice complained.

"I'm telling you it does!" another voice answered. "The people who lived here just got carted off by another gang, and they were stockpiling like everyone else here."

"Damn gangs…like life in Rukongai isn't hard enough!"

"Hey, this _is_ the 69th district," the second person chuckled weakly. "I'm sure that people in Zaraki have it much worse."

"Yeah yeah. Let's just scoop out what we need and get the hell out of here. I don't like being out in the open."

The second person grunted in agreement, and the twelve-year-old heard the sounds of the two rummaging throughout the building while he pondered their words. Rukongai? Was this the place he was in? And the 69th district? What did that mean? But the most worrisome thing to him was how the two talked about these gangs. It seemed like whatever they were, they were worse than the man he had just escaped from. He waited until he was sure they were gone, peeked around the corner and then ran off, careful to always stay near a hiding place. He came to a dilemma when he found a huge open square. There was simply no place to hide. Although, the atmosphere of the place didn't seem that threatening. Still he was very tentative as he walked, or sidled, along the borders of the square. Many people were walking around, some of which seemed to have one hand perpetually on sharp objects strapped to their sides. Vaguely, he wondered what they were used for, but kept moving. Then he saw several stalls with interesting objects in them and people around them. Curious, he approached and listened.

"Hey, how much are these apples?"

"They're worth thirty each."

"Aw come on! Thirty?!"

"I got bananas for twenty-three yen!"

"That's a rip off!"

"Come on! I have to make a living!"

The child was becoming more and more interested in the world around him. Yen? Bananas? Apples? What were these things?

"Hey pal, guess what. You haven't paid your protection fee, so-"

"N-no! Please!"

"Pay up pal, or things get real ugly!"

"B-but I don't-eyagh!"

The child turned to see four men, two of them next to a third who had plunged his sharp pointy object into the fourth man's chest. What really shook him was the familiar expression present on the three men's faces. It was a twisted smile that spoke of enjoyment of dealing pain, an expression that he'd come to associate with the man who had tortured him. With his throat frozen in fear, he turned and ran while looking over his shoulder, and smashed into someone.

"OW! What the-" the fruit seller looked down to see a wretched pile of rags that was scrambling to get away from him. "Hey! What are you trying to do kid?!" he asked as he snagged the little bundle by the collar. The child didn't answer. Instead, his wide eyes kept on flickering back toward the group with the now dead stall-owner. The man followed the child's gaze and understood.

"Hey, don't worry. They're not going to hurt you, kid. You're safe."

When there was no response, he kneeled down, stood back up to threaten another thief and then came right back down.

"It's okay, you're safe, kid. Do you understand me?"

The kid nodded infinitesimally. The man sighed. This child had the hallmark of a kid who had been through a very traumatic experience.

"Do you have a family?" He asked, and his heart fell when the child looked at him with a blank expression on his face that clearly asked "what's a family?"

"I guess not, huh? Where do you live?"

The child tensed and shook. The man shook his head. Whatever the kid had gone through must have been terrible, and it had been where he lived too…

"Well, I know my wife isn't going to like this, but I'll take you with me. What's your name?"

"…"

"Don't have one?"

The same heart-breaking questioning look was answer enough. "Okay then," At that, the rags fell from the child's head, revealing his hair. It was half-white and half-black, a perfect match with the kid's eyes, mismatched as they also were. "I think I'll call you…how about Kuromaru?"

'Kuromaru' looked back with intense curiosity. The man gestured.

"I…call…you…Kur, ro, mar, ru. Okay?"

Kuromaru nodded back, a blank look plastered to his face. The man laughed.

"Oh you don't get it huh? Oh well, I'll teach you sometime tonight." Then he stood up and froze in horror. His fruit stall was completely empty. "Oh fu-" he caught himself just in time. Probably not a good idea to let his new kid hear that kind of language. "Oh well, might as well head home now," he sighed, and then he turned. "Come on, I'll take you home." He wheeled the stall toward his house with a curious Kuromaru in tow.

***

"Well, you're home early," a woman said from the door. "Did you sell all the fruit?"

The man scratched his head sheepishly. "Eh, no. It all got stolen from me, again."

The woman sighed. "Oh well. We do still have some more left for tomorrow-Sarutobi, who is that?"

"Eh?" the man looked down at his leg to see Kuromaru peeking out from behind it. "Oh him…he's a kid I found in the square, and I couldn't just leave him."

"But we can barely feed ourselves!"

"Rina, please. The kid doesn't have a name or a family. He doesn't have a place to live, and he probably wouldn't last a day out here! Look at him! Do you think you could just leave him there?"

"Well I-" Rina was cut off as she and Kuromaru locked eyes. She became lost in those wide innocent eyes, which seemed to be permanently fearful. It was really heartbreaking. "I-uh…"

The man, Sarutobi, laughed. "See what I mean? I just couldn't leave him there to get picked up by the gangs-" He stopped as Kuromaru jumped, snapped his head wildly around and then scurried off behind the house. "Kuromaru? Come on, you're safe. There's no gangs around here." After a long silence in which both looked at the corner that the child had rounded, Kuromaru peeked out cautiously.

"Come on, Kuromaru was it?" Rina encouraged, gesturing towards herself with her hand. She smiled at him. "No one's going to hurt you, I promise…"

The child took slow careful steps, ready to turn back and run at the first sign of danger. None appeared, and he reached Rina, who wrapped her arms around him.

"Poor thing," she cooed while squeezing comfortingly. "It's alright, it's alright…" although, it was clearly not alright. Whoever had done…whatever they'd done to the child, she instinctively hated with a passion. How could they do this to a kid like this?! A kid who was clearly uncomfortable with any kind of contact whatsoever, judging from how tense he was in her arms.

"So, I take it you're fine with him?" Sarutobi asked, amused. Rina got up and swatted him across the chest.

"Why wouldn't I want to keep him? It's obvious he needs tender and loving care!"

"Hey, whoa!" Sarutobi held out his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm just asking if you're okay with having him."

Rina smiled. "We really shouldn't just stand here talking. If we have a kid, we need to take care of him now. Get him something to eat."

Sarutobi smiled. "One filling and healthy meal coming right up!"

***

It took about two months, but Kuromaru seemed to loosen up. He wasn't as tense, and he seemed much more comfortable around people, though he hid if he saw anyone smiling like those three gang members. For some reason that frustrated Sarutobi and Rina, he absolutely refused to speak. Rina took it in stride, shaking her head and cursing the people who had tortured this, _her_, kid. Sarutobi put it aside, happy to have an eager little helper at the stall. The child was a new light in their lives. Too bad it was about to end.

Kuromaru was lifting out more fruit for the stall while Sarutobi and Rina served their patrons. Rina had brought lunch, and stayed on to help as more and more smiling people came and left with their fruit. Sarutobi had garnered a reputation as a cheap seller of fruit, and so business was running high, until another group came.

"Hey pal, hand over all your money."

"W-what?"

Kuromaru looked up and dropped the watermelon he was carrying. There were the same three men who had killed the other man. All three were holding out their weapons, swords as he had learned they were called, and were pointing them at his adoptive mother and father, two other words he had learned.

"P-please! We can't-this is all we have-"

"Oh really?" the center man leered. "If you have a kid here," they looked over at Kuromaru. "you should have lots more, right boys?"

"Leave us alone! This is all we have!" Rina begged. The man shook his head.

"Tsk tsk, It looks like we need to teach you a lesson, huh boys?"

Kuromaru watched in horror as the three leapt forward and stabbed Rina and Sarutobi with their blades. Time froze, and he could only stare as the eyes of his mother and father, the only people who he had really known, glazed over in death.

"Heh, that'll teach them. Now to take it all, lads!"

Something inside of the tortured boy snapped.

"**AAAAAAAAUUUUGH!**"

***

Hana Kuran was somewhat nervous to be patrolling this area. The people were not well known for liking shinigami, even though she and her team were supposed to keep order in Rukongai. And gangs had a habit of going after women. She was thankful that her team leader was there next to her.

"Man, it sure is quiet today. We only had to deal with six incidents today."

"…"

"Lighten up, Hana! No one's going to hurt you while I'm around."

"Mmph…" Hana grunted a worried reply.

"Oh please. If it's like this in midday, there shouldn't be anything to worry about-"

There was a sudden explosion as a visible plume of black energy exploded into the air. This was followed by the shockwave that left both shinigami gasping for breath.

"What the hell?!" The man activated his Soul Pager. "This is squad leader Yahiko! There's been a huge burst of reiatsu in District 69! It feels-" He stopped for a second. This energy…it was _hollow_ energy! A hollow in Soul Society?!

"What?! What does it feel like?! Come in!"

"…i-it feels like a hollow."

"WHAT?! HERE?!"

"Y-yeah, I think we need the captain here now!"

There was a click and the line went dead. Both shinigami raced toward the disturbance, hoping it really wasn't what they thought…

***

The gang members stared in horror at the fearsome apparition. It was humanoid, with white armored plating, claws on its hands and feet, a tail, a blank featureless mask, and a large hole in its chest. They would have tried to run, but the immense reiatsu nailed them in place.

The creature stalked forward and drew back a hand. The three men screamed in anguish as blood sprayed the ground. Their screams echoed long after the blood stopped flowing.

***

Yahiko and Hana arrived in the square and stopped dead in their tracks. There were five bodies lying on the ground. Three of them were male corpses, ripped apart so badly that it seemed that gallons of blood had been used to paint the ground red. The other two were a man and a woman who obviously ran a stall in the market. There was a bundle of rags near them that seemed to be rocking back and forth. On closer inspection, they saw that the bundle was actually a boy with mismatched eyes and half-white and half-black hair. There was no sign of the hollow signature or the hollow itself except for tiny flakes of reishi and the massive claw marks across the three dead gang member's bodies.

A woman arrived on a flying manta ray wearing a long white robe with the number four on her back.

"Unohana-taicho!"

Unohana looked around, taking in everything from the horribly mutilated bodies to the clearly-distressed child. Clearly, the three bandits had killed the man and woman, but what had killed them? It appeared to be a hollow, but there was no trace of one in the vicinity save the gashes and the reishi on the ground. She pushed that aside and turned her attention toward the stricken child that Hana was currently comforting.

"Come on, you're safe. No one's going to hurt you…"

Those words did little to comfort the child, who had heard the same words from the man and woman now lying there.

Unohana swooped down and scooped him up. She nodded to the other shinigami. "Continue your patrol, and report in after you are done," she ordered gently. After receiving their affirmatives, she mounted Minazuki and flew off to the division barracks.

***

On close examination, Unohana was horrified. The child had countless marks over his body that were obvious indicators of some form of abuse. The most telling were the number of scars that heralded needles on a regular basis, and one massive scar that was a fading remnant of a puncture wound above his heart. The child shrank away slightly from her touch, clearly uncomfortable with contact. Like Sarutobi and Rina, she also found it heartbreaking to look into his mismatched eyes. She saw the same fear and sadness and couldn't help being touched by it.

"You poor thing. Who did this to you?"

The child shook his head violently. Unohana added mute to the list of troubling aspects of the child.

"It's okay, you can tell me. I won't let them hurt you."

The child looked back with wide wondering eyes.

"I promise."

The child finally stuttered "**I-I can show you…where I left. Father hurt me so much…**"

It was a surprise on two fronts. The first thing was that the child actually spoke. The second thing was that his voice sounded distorted, like a blend of two people. Unohana updated her suspicions. This child had been experimented on, no doubt in a gruesome fasion.

"**M-mother called me Kuromaru…**"

"Well…Kuromaru," she made an effort to smile at him. "You will be safe with me."

And for the first time in a _very_ long time, Kuromaru smiled back.

**So how is it now? Review please.  
**


	2. Chapter 1

**Here's the next chapter! And as a small spoiler, Urahara will meet the scientist later on.**

Chapter One: Crime, pain and punishment

Binichi Murakami had long considered himself above the law. After all, was he not trying to create the perfect being? Perfection was, after all, above such petty human restrictions such as the law. He was sure that the world would thank him when he presented his findings. It was too bad that his prime specimen had escaped. He cursed the fact that of all the things he had neglected, security had to be one of them. Well, he had fixed the problem right away. He had ensured that his other three prize specimens were still under lock and key, although it seemed like overkill using four deadbolts on the outside of the door to keep three four-year-olds secure.

He kept a steady eye on the monitor detailing the levels of energy each child was emitting unconsciously. No matter how many times he saw confirmation of his hypotheses and predictions, it always amazed him how much they changed every day in response to the progressive injections of hollow energy. Never mind that most of his test subjects had turned out to be gross failures. These remaining children were the future, he was sure of it.

Meanwhile, outside…

"Kuromaru-kun, this is the place?" Unohana questioned.

Kuromaru nodded stiffly, uncomfortable at being in the area of the man he had escaped from.

Unohana nodded to a tall man with dark skin and a white robe with the number two on his back.

"Move in. Secure the perimeter. No one escapes. Any people here are to be captured alive."

"Hai Shihouin-taicho!"

Several platoons of black obi-clad men surrounded the building with weapons drawn. One group of four positioned six glowing cylinders on the doorway and then backed off while another six took aim. The cylinders exploded simultaneously when the kido struck them, blasting the heavy door wide open-

***

Murakami looked up. An explosion? He was sure that he didn't have any volatile materials in his lab, so what-

He was surrounded on all sides by men wearing shinobi garb. As a scientist who depended on information, he was educated enough to know that this was the Special Forces division.

"W-what is the meaning of this?!" he demanded.

"The meaning is this," a voice responded from behind him. He whirled around.

"Shihouin Kazuki!"

"The same. You are under arrest for the crime of human experimentation."

"What-I-this is ridiculous!"

"We shall see," Kazuki replied icily as his men fanned out through the building, searching for anyone else who might be present. Finally…

"Shihouin-taicho, we have found a heavily locked door with three young children inside."

Kazuki turned to glare at Murakami. "What reason would you have for keeping three very young children under lock and key?"

"W-well I-"

"You are in direct violation of the laws of Soul Society. The council will decide your fate. If you resist, consider your life forfeit."

Murakami saw that he was in a no-win situation and complied. Unohana, after a cursory inspection of the three children, whisked them away. She was unable, however, to prevent a chance encounter between Kuromaru and Murakami.

"You!"

Kuromaru stood frozen while Murakami pointed and glared a malediction.

"You ungrateful insect! I made you into perfection and this is how you repay your creator?!"

Murakami made to lunge, but no fewer than four Special Forces men slammed him to the ground and nailed his sleeves to the ground with kunai.

"You are not doing yourself any justice by attacking that child," Kazuki commented. "Yes he led us here, and until you attacked him, it was only his word that you experimented on him. But now you have given us clear proof that you did what he claimed. For a scientist, you are particularly dense to attack him with two captains in attendance."

Kuromaru's eyes never left those of Murakami as the 'monster' was dragged away.

***

Forty-six pairs of eyes bored into those of the little man from Rukongai.

"Murakami Binichi, you are found guilty of human rights violations, not the least of which is cross-species modification, if your notes are of any indication."

"I was trying to create perfection!"

"Indeed," the previous man replied. "and does that perfection involve the torture of young children?"

"For all things, sacrifices are necessary," Murakami sneered in reply.

"It appears," a second council member chimed in. "that you obviously feel no remorse for your actions. You have not made any statement of apology and have only continued to justify your actions, which are so out of depth that nothing you do will reconcile them."

"We might have given you a more lenient sentence had you shown that remorse," a third added. "However, because of your current attitude, you are sentenced to life imprisonment in the Maggot's Nest, as I believe it is now referred to."

Murakami was surprised. He had fully expected a death sentence.

"Despite the fact that your actions are inexcusable, your knowledge of many things is too vast to simply be eradicated. Perhaps through any future service you provide us, we may find the means to ease your punishment. I find that highly unlikely, however."

Murakami howled in rage as he was dragged from the room. To be condemned to the indignity of eternal confinement! It couldn't be! How could they not see what he had been trying to accomplish? Perfection had been so close…

***

"Soutaicho?"

Yamamoto turned around to come face-to-face with Unohana. "What is it, Retsu?"

"Do you know about the recent arrest of the man Binichi Murakami?"

"I am aware of it, yes."

"Ever since his arrest, I have been the caretaker for four unfortunate children whom he experimented on. Thus far, their condition is fine. My concern is that I cannot care for them at the same time as taking care of my duties."

"You wish for them to have a more permanent caretaker?" Yamamoto asked, with an amused twinkle in his eye. Unohana smiled and blushed slightly.

"W-well, yes."

"I shall see to their care. However, I do know that you actually had one of those children prior to the raid on his lodgings, a twelve-year-old, if I am not mistaken."

"Yes, but-"

"Then he is of age to attend the Academy, is he not?"

"Yes, but the academy has already been two months into the new year-"

"Although Shihouin-taicho is fully capable of taking care of three four-year-olds, I believe that an additional child might be hard on him. Thus, this 'Kuromaru' you have taken in will lodge at the Academy. I will see to it that he is given quarters on the grounds."

"But what about his decision? Certainly he has the latent power, but he hasn't been given a chance to hear about this!"

Yamamoto fixed his eyes on a spot behind her. "Correction: he has. The real question is whether he understands this offer."

Unohana whirled around. There, peeking around the corner, was Kuromaru. The boy had obviously heard the whole thing. Yamamoto glided over to him. Strangely, contradictory to his usual reaction, Kuromaru didn't shrink away from him.

"Boy, did you understand what we said?"

Kuromaru shook his head. Unohana knelt to face him.

"Kuromaru-kun, do you want to be a shinigami?"

"**Sh-shinigami?**"

"We, the Soutaicho and I," she gestured between herself and the wizened captain. "we are shinigami. We protect people, like you," she said, placing her index finger on his head. "The Soutaicho is the strongest shinigami."

Kuromaru looked with wide eyes at Yamamoto, who chuckled. "Do you wish to be like me, little one?"

A series of fast nods conveyed his desire.

"Then it's decided, Retsu. I will take him to the Academy. I have to pay Daihama a visit in any case, and see how our inductees are shaping up."

***

"Yamamoto-Soutaicho, what a pleasant surprise," Jyuusen Daihama blurted as he welcomed the former head teacher of the Academy into his office. "I suppose you've come to inspect the ranks of our recruits?"

"That is one of the reasons I came here."

"And the other reason?"

Yamamoto gestured behind him and Kuromaru stepped forward reluctantly, clearly having second thoughts about his decision.

"Though it goes against our credo, perhaps you can allow for this child to join the first-year students in class."

Daihama raised an eyebrow. Yamamoto gestured toward the door, and Kuromaru gratefully stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. Yamamoto turned back to meet his successor's gaze.

"This is most irregular, and so I must request the meaning behind this, Yamamoto-sempai."

"That child was taken in by Retsu during a patrol. She discovered that he had been tortured, experimented on. I believe that since he is very uncomfortable with adults, perhaps he might find security with other of his own age."

"Does he know the basics for this academy?"

"He can speak. Whether he can read or write has yet to be seen."

"Then who shall teach him?"

"I am told that Retsu took it upon herself to try and teach him those skills."

"Ah. Yes, she was a very good teacher herself."

"Indeed. There is also the matter of housing for the child. I believe that you have a spare room that could be converted to use."

"Of course, Yamamoto-sempai. I'll do what I can."

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Just like I put in the next chapter of To Hell and Back, I updated fast. Enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter Two: Academy

Four years had passed for Kuromaru since he had taken residence in the Academy. His late appearance in classes had caused a great deal of muttering, further alienating him from the rest of his peers. He quickly gained a reputation as a "noble freak," apparently exempt from the restrictions of entrance time. The "freak" part was a reference to his hair and his mismatched eyes, and certainly did little to alleviate his lack of comfort. It was readily apparent from the beginning that worries over his skills in reading and writing were over nothing. Unohana had indeed taught him the basics, and he had learned the hard way how to pick up things really fast. Though he struggled at times, he managed to persevere. And so four years later found the Soutaicho and Daihama chatting about his progress.

"So how are the students now?"

"More of them than usual came from the gangs of Rukongai this time around, so you know the problems we're dealing with now…"

"Indeed," Yamamoto nodded sympathetically. The problem with accepting any recruit with potential power was that in the event that they came from the rougher districts, those who had wielded power there had a great deal of arrogance and a tendency to flaunt their power. It was not a new issue, as academy teachers had learned how to tell who would be a problem and how to take care of such problems.

"But most of them are shaping up nicely. We have four classes in the advanced year right now."

"That should do very well for our ranks and strength. Now, I'm curious what has been going on with Kuromaru."

Daihama raised an eyebrow. "You've taken a personal interest in him, I see."

Yamamoto chuckled. "I'll never forget the day that I asked him if he wanted to become a shinigami. Such an eager expression…"

"Indeed."

"So what of his progress?"

Daihama turned more serious. "Academically, he is very well off. He is the top student in the advanced classes. His instructors say that he is diligent and serious. He actually set a new academy record for speed in Shunpo exercises, Kenjutsu and Zanjutsu practice spars. Few of his classmates can stand against him. I wouldn't be surprised at all of he becomes a captain someday."

"And what of the non-academic view?"

"Socially, he is withdrawn. He rarely socializes with his peers. He isolates himself. And I cannot find it in my heart to blame him for that, given the whispers about him."

"…"

"Quite a few students have taken to calling him a freak, sometimes while in the same room with him. And if what you told me about his situation before the academy is true, it certainly cannot be doing wonders for his self-image."

Yamamoto was silent as he pondered those words, and Daihama pointed out the window at a fully cloaked figure standing out amidst the crowd of students on the grounds.

"That is Kuromaru. He refuses to allow anyone to see his face, and the instructors have given up trying to force him not to wear it. A lot of new students speculate on what he looks like underneath that cloak, alienating him and further distancing him from the rest."

Yamamoto gazed out the window at the sullen figure. "Hmm, perhaps I shall talk with him."

***

Kuromaru looked up from his text on kido theory with his notebook inside the pages, and locked eyes with the Soutaicho.

"Well, I see you are keeping yourself busy with your studies. I hope you are not too busy to accompany me on a little stroll," Yamamoto said with a neutral face. Kuromaru closed his books and they disappeared into his cloak. The two turned to walk around the Academy main building, oblivious to the stares.

"Hey, there's the noble freak!"

"Why's he with the Soutaicho?"

Yamamoto's mouth curved downward. So Daihama hadn't been exaggerating.

"I just finished a long chat with the headmaster. Why do you isolate yourself from your future comrades?"

"**They judge me, but they have no idea what it was like for me. They would never understand, and I just want to be alone.**"

"Hmm, you've changed from the little boy who wanted to be comforted."

"…"

Yamamoto sighed. "If you are to become a shinigami, you will have to work with others. You cannot simply isolate yourself and expect to be effective as one."

"...**I want to forget about my past, but they keep on reminding me about-**"

"Then let go! Your past should not be an issue for you when you become a shinigami. We do not care from whence you came. You shouldn't have any attachments that you do not wish to have."

"**It's not that simple-**"

"Come with me," Yamamoto abruptly commanded. Both shunpoed away and ended up in the Shihouin family estate. Kuromaru's eyes widened under the cloak as he saw three very familiar looking children frolicking on the grounds with the Shihouin heir. One was a small boy with a perpetual wan smile on his face, white eyes and onyx hair. Another boy was smirking while watching the two females. He had messy flame-red hair and golden eyes. One of the girls had silver hair and deep gray eyes. They seemed to evoke a sense of vulnerability and fear that was only banished from the surface, hidden underneath. Kuromaru could only surmise that perhaps the Shihouin heir brought out the best in her.

"Maa, Sayu. I think you're getting slower. Yesterday you managed to keep up withYoruichi."

"Raiden!"

"Tee hee! He's right you know. Today you couldn't catch me, teme!"

"Aw, lay off you two. I don't see why you guys like to run around like this…"

Yamamoto's mouth twisted upward in amusement before he spoke. "Do you see? These children who also suffered the same treatment as you have already forgotten what has happened to them. You are twice as old as they, and yet you profess to be unable to put your past behind you."

"…"

"Do you still wish to become strong? True strength does not come to you until you become the master. Fear must not freeze you. Rage must not ignite you. Doubt must not sway you. Only then are you the master. You fear your past. You doubt yourself and your abilities. Anger at what you have suffered drives you. You are the opposite of strength. Turn away now!"

Kuromaru silently pondered those words while gazing at the four children playing. Then he shook his head. "**I will have to think about this.**"

"Then think," the Soutaicho counseled. "and then consider where you should go from here. Now, back to the Academy with you."

Meanwhile, Raiden, Enishi, Sayu and Yoruichi simultaneously noticed Kuromaru and Yamamoto and thought _who is that guy?_

***

Kyouraku and Ukitake stepped out of the shade of a tree after Kuromaru disappeared. "So that's the child you spoke of, eh Yama-ji?" Kyouraku asked.

"Yes."

Ukitake's face was lined with some concern. "I wonder how hard it is for him to live with those memories each day…"

"We all must live with our past. The difference between us all is whether we allow it to affect us."

"Neh, used as a test subject and ostracized from his fellow students. He's had a hard life, and it will only get worse for him later on…"

Yamamoto smiled. "Are you only saying that because of the paperwork that comes with being a captain?"

"Why did you promote me, Yama-ji?"

"I had hoped that you would step up to the responsibility. It appears that I was mistaken."

Ukitake smiled. "And it seems that you waited nine years for nothing sensei."

"Indeed."

***

Kuromaru sat on his bed, holding his zanpaku-to in a meditative position, thinking over the Soutaicho's words, which struck to the heart. He sighed. Was he fearful? Perhaps. It was natural for most creatures to fear that which brings pain. Angry? Well, he loathed how other judged him, and hatred has its roots in anger. Doubt? He was certain that he was not doubtful about himself and his abilities.

As if in response, a pulse of energy ran through his body that seemed to ask: _Are you sure?_

_Yes!_ he insisted. _I am sure that I have no doubts. I want to be a shinigami._

_Why? _the energy seemed to ask gently._ Why do you want to be one?_

That brought a lot of questions to the fore. Why? He could faintly remember feeling a desire to have the strength that the Soutaicho possessed, but he couldn't come up with a reason.

_I see, well when you have found your reason, you can access your full power._

_…are you my zanpaku-to?_

_Perhaps. You'll find out when you have your answer._

***

At the years end, Kuromaru opted to take the squad evaluation exams. His mysterious nature (he still refused to take off the cloak) led many to watch him and see what he was really like. Oh, in class, he was unmatched. However, it was clearly not his true capacity. If anyone had actually summoned the nerve to ask him how good he really was, his reply would have been "**Why do you deserve to know? It is only a fool who flaunts his power.**"

Kuromaru was finished with the written exam, and was now awaiting his turn to have a practical examination. Surprisingly to everyone else, and not so much for him, the captain watching him was the Soutaicho.

"Kuromaru, the proctor will now test you in zanjutsu. Ready yourself."

Kuromaru stripped off his cloak, drawing several sharp breaths from other observers. He scowled. He absolutely _hated_ it when people made comments about his hair.

The proctor settled into a classic two-handed guard stance. "Begin when ready."

Kuromaru loosely held his blade up near his face in his right hand at a diagonal, before he stepped forward, spinning to the right, reversed his grip on the blade and performed an upward cutter, fircing the proctor's blade up. Then he grabbed the man with his left hand and pulled forward, spinning left now, and shoving him hard so that the man was now on the ground. He then reversed his grip again so he held it normally and put the blade near the proctor's neck.

Yamamoto's eyebrows shot upward while Kuromaru yawned and pulled the man to his feet. Then he rolled his shoulders and adopted a more conventional stance. "_**Now**_** I'm ready…**"

**Just so you know, I hate doing timeskips because the break the flow of things, but I didn't feel like writing his academy days. They aren't really that important. Review please!**


	4. Chapter 3

**New chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter Three: Evaluation test

It was quite the spectacle. As Yamamoto looked on, Kuromaru and the proctor exchanged blows so seamlessly and fluidly that the spar might as well have been choreographed beforehand. The proctor delivered a sideswipe that Kuromaru shunted overhead before retaliating with an upward cutter that the proctor retreated from. They clashed again, blades crossed with the points down toward the floor, neither giving ground, until the proctor released the lock, thrusting toward Kuromaru's head. The student ducked and pirouetted before delivering a low sweep that the proctor easily blocked. The two stepped back before lunging a third time. Kuromaru batted aside another thrust before slashing at the mans neck. The proctor bent over backward before punching his arm away and attempting a slash at Kuromaru's exposed back. Kuromaru blurred out of existence, forcing the proctor to abandon his attack, turn and lock blades with the young prodigy before they flew apart once more.

Yamamoto applauded as Kuromaru bowed. "An impressive display. I would take some advice from the proctor however." He nodded toward the sweaty man who turned to go over the fine points.

"You definitely have a good grasp on advance and retreat. You know how to exploit openings and gauge your opponent. You should work on keeping your defenses up even when you attack, but all in all, not bad."

Kuromaru bowed his head while the proctor gestured. "And now, on to the next part. We will test you in Shunpo, Kido and Hakuda. Please follow me to the obstacle course."

Kuromaru followed, keenly aware of the gazes locked on him. Some were simple amazement, while others were open hostility. He ignored them and only looked forward.

"Now," the proctor explained. "This obstacle course contains training dummies that you must disable, hidden ground traps you must evade, and targets you must destroy with kido. It is not necessary to get every one, but it will have some bearing on your evaluation. You will be graded based on how fast you complete the course, how many targets you've taken care of, and how many traps you've avoided. It is highly recommended, but not necessary, that you use shunpo. And one more thing: you cannot stray outside the boundaries. Doing so will end your session, and result in a large point deduction from your score. Clear?"

Kuromaru nodded and the proctor stepped back. "Whenever you're ready…"

Kuromaru had already vanished. He was far down the course and at the first area. He scanned the ground, walls and pillars for traps before he shunpoed , stopping on the safe areas before continuing. He didn't even pause at the target range, preferring to fire blasts while moving. He had practiced in secret behind the dorm area, and so he didn't even stop to check if the blasts hit the targets. It was the practice dummies that surprised him. He had thought that they would be the rotating section variety found in the Academy. Instead, they were animated humanoid dummies that easily matched his speed and engaged him in close combat. Kuromaru locked a snarl behind his teeth. Damn it! He just didn't have time to deal with this! He grabbed one of the dummies and slung it into the others as hard as he could, quickly dispatched the rest with fast palm strikes and then moved on to the combination section.

This was a nightmare. He had to simultaneously concentrate on not activating the traps, destroying the proper targets, and defending against a vicious onslaught of training dummies. He growled before simply using a powerful Soukatsui to destroy the targets and buy himself some breathing room. Then, he simply flung the dummies into the traps on the walls and ground before streaking past the end checkpoint.

"And cut the timer. Very well done if I say so myself, Kuromaru-san. You found the most expedient way to handle all of those dummies."

"**Expedient?**"

"The idea was that _you_ avoid the traps. There was nothing against pushing enemies into those traps. Also, the targets had to be destroyed with kido, but not necessarily just with that. If I were to stake my reputation, I'd say that you passed with flying colors. Maybe it's premature, but you are now a real shinigami."

"I would agree with you assessment, and it is not premature," Yamamoto added, his eyes twinkling.

Kuromaru was silent for a short moment, and then, "Soutaicho, why are you a shinigami?"

Yamamoto's eyes opened wide before he furrowed his brow in thought. "Hmm…well to begin with, I was charged with the duty of being a shinigami by the Royal Family. However, I think that as the new generations have taken over, that is no longer my reason. Now," He smiled. "I see my duty is to help those who also share my duty in whatever way I can, to help them become stronger so that they may fulfill their charge to the best of their abilities."

Kuromaru took those words in as the Soutaicho asked him a question. "Why do you ask?"

"**…I wanted to know why people would choose to be shinigami.**"

Yamamoto smiled again. _So it is that kind of test, eh?_

"Well Kuromaru kun," the proctor called. "as you have already completed the exam, you are free to return to your class. I wish you the best of luck."

Kuromaru picked up his cloak and waved farewell.

***

That night, Kuromaru sat meditating with his zanpaku-to again. He searched his soul until he found the same energy that had posed the question from before.

_Have you found your answer little one?_

_I have. I wish to become a shinigami so that…so that I can help others to gain the power that they desire. For whatever reason they need, I will help them._

_…a noble reason and one that suits your nature. Very well, You are fit to possess my power._

_But don't you have a name?_

_Just as you are nameless at the core, blank, open to others, I have no name. It is of no consequence._

_…okay._

_Then accept your power…_

Most shinigami, when asked to put words with the feeling that came with the unlocking of their true power, described it as euphoria. It was an uplifting feeling, a welling of power inside that brought a sense of invincibility an sometimes peace. For Kuromaru, it was much different and very unpleasant. His body was wracked with the greatest pain he had ever known, spreading from the core of his chest to his extremities. It rolled and pulsed through him, burning, freezing, shocking, all at once. It was little wonder that the rest of the academy heard his scream.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!**"

***

By sheer twist of fate, Jyuusen Daihama had been taking a moonlight stroll around the Academy, and had been right outside of Kuromaru's room. The piercing scream jolted him and he raced inside the building to see what it was. By the time he found the source, several students who had lodgings on the grounds were clustered around Kuromaru, who was twisting, jerking and screaming, clearly in pain.

"What the hell should we do?!"

"What's happening to him?!"

Daihama had to shout to make himself heard. "You!" he pointed to a young girl and her friend. "Find a staff member. Have them send a Hell Butterfly to Unohana-taicho! She needs to come here at once!

"Y-yes sir!" The two scampered away with frightened looks on their faces while Daihama turned toward the others.

"The rest of you, help to drag him outside. He has to be there when Unohana-taicho gets here! Move!"

Under his instruction, the students grabbed Kuromaru and lifted him out, ignoring the fact that contact seemed to burn him even more, making him scream louder.

They dropped him in a clear open area, and he promptly resumed the fetal position and remained so until Unohana arrived. She nodded at Daihama, ordered Minazuki to swallow him, and then departed for the Fourth Divistion center.

***

Kuromaru had stopped screaming on account of an anesthetic in Minazuki's spit, but it was still obvious that he was in great pain. While her assistants stood by, maintaining a cleansing barrier, Unohana stepped forward, hands glowing with healing kido. The moment she placed her hands on his chest however, fresh screams of pain erupted from Kuromaru and he thrashed as the Kido entered his body.

"Unohana-taicho! W-what's going on with him?!"

"I don't know," she replied, perturbed that her kido had only brought more pain on this child. She wasn't by nature a person who was combative. And those who thrived on combat were to her little more than psychotic sadists. She hated dealing pain more than anything else, which was why she ran the healing division. She removed her hands and attempted to give Kuromaru a healing pill in hopes that it would work. It didn't. The energy embedded in the pill only made it worse.

The insidious truth was that since Murakami's experiments, his body had only hollow energy, though it was completely masked by his body. When he had received his shinigami power, shinigami and hollow energy collided within him for the first time, reacting and annihilating each other and causing intense pain in the process. Unfortunately in the chaos, no one hand noticed that Kuromaru's blade stood up in the corner of his dorm, released in the form of a broadsword with four diamonds encrusting the hilt. It mattered little in any case.

The sword suddenly started glowing before compressing into a thin shaft of light and then clattering to the floor of his dorm room. At the same time, Kuromaru finally stopped screaming and lay silent, unconscious from the strain. Unohana breathed deeply before nodding at her assistants to release the barrier. Whatever had afflicted him appeared to be gone, but it still worried her what could do such a thing to a child.

Kuromaru would end up spending the night in the division until the next morning, when Unohana deemed him well enough to return.

**So how was it? I still have a lot of character buildup to do, so don't expect him to be like he is in the other story for a while. Review please!**


	5. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry this took so long. The only things I have to say:**

**1. Homework is a bitch.**

**2. So is getting a cold.**

**3. Exams**

**4. Never try to kick the ball when someone else is about to punt it. It hurts like hell.**

**Anyway, here's the long overdue chapter. Now that I'm done with school, I can focus a lot more on this. Sorry for the wait!**

Chapter Four: Shinigami

Kuromaru slowly regained consciousness, and knew it from a throbbing pain in his chest. He attempted to raise himself from the bed, but a combination of things held him back. First of all, he was strapped down, probably for a good reason seeing as second of all, moving merely made it even more painful.

"**Agh! Gh!**" he growled. Unohana somehow heard him from outside the room and came in to investigate.

"Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?"

"**…like someone froze, burned and shocked me all at once.**"

Unohana winced. "Ooh! Well I hope that this helps…"

Kuromaru took the offered pill, swallowed it, and then exploded in a spasm of violent coughing. "**That would be a 'no.'**" he sputtered.

"Hmm," Unohana frowned. "If you're body is reacting like this, I think I'll have to run some tests and-"

_Tell her no. Tell her you're fine._

_What?_

_Just do it. I promise I will explain it later._

"**Unohana-taicho, I'm fine.**"

Unohana looked at him with some concern. "Are you sure? After what happened to you last night?"

"**I'm sure. Besides-ow, I'm getting stiff muscles just lying here.**"

Unohana hesitated, and then undid the restraints and stood by to help Kuromaru up. When he staggered, she quickly grabbed him.

"**No, I'm fine.**" Kuromaru waved her off as he steadied himself.

"I'll give you a notice for your class," Unohana said resignedly.

***

As it turned out, he didn't have a class. When he got to his dorm room, he saw a letter on his desk.

"**What's this? The first division? Heh, well this should make things interesting.**"

Without further ado, he quickly packed his things and left for the First Division quarters. When he got there, he saw a small group of other academy students waiting outside. They parted like water when Kuromaru arrived. Word of the incident from last night had spread fast, and several wondered aloud whether he was a safe person to be around. He ignored them and concentrated on finding a clear spot on the ground to sit on.

_So what happened? Why was it so painful when I got my power?_

_Do you remember the man who tortured you?_

Kuromaru scowled. _Yes._

_What he kept on injecting into your body was hollow energy. Hollow energy is anathema to shinigami power, and vice versa. When they meet, they cancel out explosively. I am sorry that I did not foresee this, and that I merely caused you pain._

Kuromaru shivered. _Does this mean I can't use your power?_

The voice seemed to hesitate. _You could, but it will always cause you intense pain unless you can lower the amount of hollow energy in your body. You cannot do this permanently. His experiments caused your body to permanently make hollow energy. If you intend to use my power, I would advise that you reduce the hollow power within you._

Kuromaru was left to ponder that as the door swung open. The students filed in and were quickly assigned to patrol squads and division lodgings. He placed his things in his room before going to see the Soutaicho.

"Well, you certainly have wasted no time, Kuromaru. What can I do for you?"

Kuromaru thought for a moment. How should he pose this? "**Soutaicho, is there a deserted area that I can practice?**"

Not at all phased by the question, Yamamoto merely pointed to the balcony. Kuromaru walked over and looked down. He saw several large training fields that were vacant. But when he turned to leave, Yamamoto stopped him.

"After your ordeal from last night, I cannot in good conscience allow you to harm yourself that way. You must rest."

"**Soutaicho-**"

"While it is true that a warrior should be able to deal with pain, a warrior must also keep himself in good condition in order to continue fighting. I will not have a promising young shinigami kill himself because he is too foolish not to know his limits. You will rest. Tomorrow, you may train. You have a month to do so at any rate."

Kuromaru saw it was no use arguing, so he acknowledged the order and left sullenly. Yamamoto watched him go. _He is quite an eager student, and he has the same potential as Jushiro and Shunsui. All that is needed is for him to prove himself before he can become an officer._

***

"Well looky here: we got a new recruit," a short unranked shinigami commented.

"Great," the squad leader grunted. "I hope he lasts longer than the last one…"

"Can you two stop it?" a female shinigami demanded. "We don't need another nervous wreck like the last one, no thanks to you!"

Kuromaru waved it off. The two other men laughed and then walked off while the woman sheepishly turned and apologized to him.

"Sorry about them. Those two idiots are always acting macho. I'm still filing for a transfer to get away from them…"

Kuromaru cocked his head. The shinigami shook hers.

"Not talking huh? Great, the strong and silent type. Why me? Why me?"

The squad leader returned with a letter. "Get your asses in gear."

"Touch mine, and you're dead," the woman snapped back. He laughed and then continued as the other man showed up.

"We got our patrol assignment for the week. Let's get moving! You, rookie, don't lag behind!"

Kuromaru responded by disappearing with astonishing speed. They found him at the Senkaimon, ostentaneously tapping his foot.

"Oh you're ready now, speedy? Good. Let's move!"

The four entered the Senkaimon, escorted by their hell butterflies, and emerged in a forested area near a large village.

"Okay, we're clear. Guren, set up camp. Rookie, You help her! Keji, you and I are on patrol. Let's move!"

While the other two disappeared, Kuromaru helped Guren assemble small tents and set up a communications relay.

"Don't worry about those two. They do that all the time. Just focus on the mission, and you'll be fine."

Kuromaru didn't respond visibly. He only continued to finish setting up the relay before climbing a tree and sitting there with his hands crossed over his legs.

"Erm, why are you sitting up there?"

"**Tactics. One person should always keep an eye on the camp while the other sleeps. And anyways, I like being alone.**"

"Why?"

Kuromaru turned his cloaked head toward her, but ignored the question. "**Please, take this time to rest.**"

Guren shook her head, muttering about masochistic idiots, but complied. Kuromaru sat in the tree for a long time before the other two came back. After waking Guren up to ask where he was, and after she pointed to the tree, they too curled up to sleep.

***

Patrol had garnered a reputation as one of the most boring tasks for shinigami to perform, and for good reason. For months at a time, squads of four or five were assigned to populated areas of the Real World to handle the odd hollow attack. For this particular group, despite the fact that they were in Japan during the Bakamatsu, there were surprisingly few hollows, and they were generally those who had just transformed. Guren, Keji and Ikeda, the squad leader, found themselves increasingly intrigued by the most recent addition to their team. Kuromaru hadn't once slept or spoke to them since the first day. To add to their intrigue, he was just about the only interesting thing around, seeing as they were currently wandering several kilometers away from the camp, in full patrol, with no humans around. None of them noticed the large hollows lurking behind them, until they actually attacked.

Guren heard a sudden noise, whirled around, and screamed "LOOK OUT!" Ikeda and Keji barely got out of the way of a massive claw that slammed down where they had been. All three looked in horror at the creatures that surrounded them. There were nearly fifteen massive hollows, far larger than the occasional small fry they had come across. Two hollows, smaller than the one that had first attacked, readied blows. Guren stuck out a palm.

"Bakudo 63. Rikujokurou!"

Six slivers of energy appeared and pinned the two hollows together, but they easily broke free. By then, however, the four shinigami had already taken advantage of the forest and disappeared into it.

"Damn it!" Ikeda swore. "Where the hell did they come from?!"

"They were right behind us. They must have been following us for a while," Keji answered.

Guren looked around. "Hey, where's the new guy?"

The others took a brief stop to look.

"Damn it!" Ikeda swore. "I hope he didn't get himself killed! We need everyone now!"

"No time for that! Look out!!"

Four hollows took it upon themselves to charge the beleaguered shinigami.

"Hado 4:Byakurai!"

Keji fired a bolt of lightning at one of the hollows, and blasted it backward.

"Hado 58: Tenran!"

The resulting whirlwind bought the three some much needed breathing room.

"Graaaah! Take this!"

Ikeda jumped upward, sending an upward slice as he went and making the hollow stagger backward form the blow. However, it was a far cry from the force needed to actually break the skin, let alone cut the mask, as his next attempt failed. His blade only made sparks as it slid off the hardened reishi.

"Damn it! I can't cut it!"

Guren leapt up towards another one and stabbed her zanpaku-to through an eyehole in the mask, and felt a surge of satisfaction as the hollow emitted a keening screech of pain before vanishing.

"Nice one!" Keji called as he dismembered another one, but the smile he had faded when he saw two more hollows take it's place.

"Fuck! We're surrounded!" Ikeda cursed. The hollows formed a rough circle around them and began closing in.

"No, t-this-I don't want it to end like this!" Guren cried, becoming increasingly hysterical.

One hollow reached out for her, but suddenly, its head split in two. It reared back with a howl before its body dispersed. Two more followed suit, and the hollows stopped their advance while Kuromaru blurred into existence, one knee on the ground, with his sealed zanpaku-to clenched in his right hand and half-embedded in the ground. Ikeda gaped, and then he gathered himself.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!"

"**I was contacting Soul Society. They are sending reinforcements. We just need to hold out for ten minutes.**"

Keji's eyes bugged. "TEN MINUTES?! We won't last that long!"

Ikeda gritted his teeth. "Shut up! We just have to try."

One hollow disengaged and charged at Kuromaru, who leapt up and struck at its mask with all his might, ignoring the surge of pain that came from using his shinigami power. What he didn't see was that another hollow had swung a clawed arm at him that dug deeply into his chest. He managed to turn and pitch his zanpaku-to through an eyehole, killing the hollow, but then he landed on the ground and collapsed, too wounded to continue.

"DAMN IT! WHERE THE FUCK IS OUR BACKUP?!" Keji howled as he destroyed the hollow and knelt to protect Kuromaru.

"Just hang on!" Ikeda yelled. "They'll be here soon!"

Guren backed away from a looming hollow as it approached her, and then fell to the ground as a second one attacked her from behind, slashing her so viciously that her blood covered the ground. But before the hollows could move in for the kill-

"HADO NO. 31, SHAKKAHO!!"

A volley of kido rocketed from the forest and slammed into the hollows. Several were destroyed and the rest began to retreat. Three squads of shinigami materialized to the relief of Ikeda and Keji.

"Squad 4, see to them. The rest of you, with me! Let's take them out!"

Squad 4 immediately went to work healing the four. The one who took care of Ikeda looked around in disbelief.

"Fifteen C and B class hollows...how did you guys survive this long?"

"The new guy in our group was pretty good. He took out five hollows in about a minute."

"Is that right?" he turned to look at the unconcious Kuromaru. "He definitely has it in him to become a squad or platoon leader."

"Yeah, he's strong, no doubt about it. Man, what a mess..."

**Please Review!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Well, here's the next chapter. Please, PLEASE review!**

Chapter Five: Training

Kuromaru had made out very well. After the first few patrol missions, the Soutaicho made him into a squad leader, and then later a platoon commander. Now he was in the running for a seated position, but as with everything, one must earn their place. So dawn arrived one day to find Kuromaru standing inside the academy he was shunned at three years ago.

_Flashback_

_**"Academy instructor?"**__he repeated._

_Yamamoto nodded. "Correct. Before I give you any commissioned rank, I need to know that you have the ability to take command, to give orders, and to watch out for the well-being of your fellow shinigami."_

_**"And handling students is easier than handling graduates."**_

_"Indeed. Think of this as a trial. Depending on how well you do, I might make you a seated-officer and a sub-division leader."_

_Kuromaru turned his head back toward the sheet. __**"There's another reason for this method of test, isn't there?"**__ he asked as he noted some names with special meaning to him marked on the sheet._

_"I have no idea what you are talking about." Yamamoto replied, eyes twinkling._

_Flashback end_

Kuromaru returned his attention to the present as the head teacher called for attention.

"Alright listen up! You all know you'll be taken to different areas for your first experiences in Hollow slaying and Konso. You will all split up into groups of three depending on the number you received. Wait in your assigned groups for your escort. They will explain what you'll be doing and guide you through everything. Now move!"

The mass of forty-two students did so, and established shinigami began threading through the room, picking groups and escorting them to the gates. Kuromaru swooped down on his assigned three. One was a short red-head who was clearly bursting with excitement to be going on the trip. Another was a quiet silver-haired girl who seemed very tentative and on edge. Kuromaru noted that she seemed to be making an effort not to touch her zanpaku-to. And finally there was a kid who looked like he'd rather be sleeping than participating.

"Alright! We get to go to the Real World! Finally! Aren't you excited?"

"But w-we have a guard! M-maybe it could be dangerous…"

"Ah, you worry too much Sayu! Besides, we're here to protect you, right Enishi?"

"Meh, how troublesome."

The red-head elbowed Enishi in the ribs. "Come on! You know that she doesn't like to fight! We're the ones who keep her safe!"

"Calm down, Raiden. All I said was that it's troublesome-"

**"Are you at all interested in leaving, or do you just want to chat?"** Kuromaru cut across.

"W-we're sorry sir!" Raiden stuttered and quickly apologized.

Kuromaru gestured at the gate. **"Then shall we?"**

***

"Man, this place is a dump," Raiden commented as he looked around the small town.

**"It is where the rejects of human society end up. Of course it is a dump."** Kuromaru replied.

"Right! Sorry sir!"

Kuromaru gestured at the city. **"You're free to wander around and take care of any hollows and souls you see. This place is full of weak entities, so there shouldn't be any trouble. I'll keep an eye on you and let you know when time's up."**

Raiden raced off, literally dragging Enishi and Sayu behind him. Kuromaru ascended higher into the sky so as to watch them. He stood there for a few minutes before he noticed a Senkaimon passage opening up next to him. He was very surprised to see the Soutaicho step out.

"Well I see the young ones are having fun."

**"One of them at least."**

Yamamoto watched as several souls became bright balls of light rising into the sky. "So what do you think of these children?"

**"One is overly excitable, one is too scared of her own blade, and one just wants to sleep. Nothing like how I was."**

"But they're performing well," Yamamoto replied as they watched the three defeat a small hollow. Raiden kept it busy, Enishi crippled it with fast strikes from his wakizashi, and Sayu finished it off with a medium-level kido. "and they understand the value of teamwork."

Under his hood, Kuromaru grimaced. **"I think of it less as teamwork and more of two brothers protecting their sister. They wouldn't have to do so if she didn't have an irrational fear of blades or anything sharp. Kami knows she wasn't like that before."**

"Indeed. That is something you can perhaps work with them on later."

**"Captain?"**

"I am well aware of your feeling toward these three. They are your only link to the past and the only ones who can understand your feelings. And forgive me this exaggeration: I can see your burning desire to train and protect them. By all means."

Kuromaru turned and nodded. **"Thank you. But now, should I let them tackle that larger hollow? They might not be strong enough-"**

Yamamoto cut him off smoothly. "If one tries their power against something weaker than they, the outcome is already foretold. It is only when that outcome is in doubt that we decide for ourselves our level of strength. If you protect them from everything, they will never grow strong. Sometimes, you must allow them room to grow. Only then can they become stronger."

**"I see…"**

***

"Jeez! There's no end to these guys!" Raiden growled as he swung his chokuto, somehow carving a circular gash in the hollow before it vanished.

"Since when do you complain about 'exercising' your skills?" Enishi drawled as he calmly impaled a hollow through the eyehole.

"Hey! I like fighting just as much as the next guy, but I can't go at it for long!"

"Then perhaps you should revise your style instead of using flashy techniques. Shihouin-sensei really dislikes your habit of calling attention to yourself."

"Eeyah! Hado 63! Soren Soukatsui!" Sayu landed behind them, palms outstretched as three hollow vanished into thin air.

"Sayu, really. It's not going to bite you," Enishi gestured with his wakizashi at her sheathed shunto. Sayu flinched.

"Eep! Enishi!"

"Cut it out! You know she hates it!"

Enishi turned his white eyes on Raiden's golden ones. "Problems need to be addressed instead of ignored. I am only trying to help her come to terms with the issue."

Raiden was about to make a snap comment when his eyes locked on something behind Enishi and Sayu, who was still locking fearful eyes with the pale wakizashi. "Yeah, about that thing of 'addressing problems,' what about that?!"

The other two whirled around to see ten gigantic hollows bearing down on them. Very, very fast.

Enishi gritted his teeth, face locked in a look of concentration rarely seen on the slacking prodigy. "I hope you're up for another round," he warned them. "And Sayu, try not to think about their razor sharp claws."

Sayu's face turned paper white as her cloudy gray eyes focused on the aforementioned appendages on the closest hollow. And then she screamed.

***

Kuromaru's eyes narrowed as he saw the dilemma bearing down on his surrogate family.

**"Captain, I believe that is my cue to step in."**

"Of course. Go."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Kuromaru appeared in front of the three, tachi held so that the hollow's downward swipe impaled its hand on his blade. The hollow screeched and withdrew its hand, slicing it in half in the process as Kuromaru had angled the edge facing him. The others halted and looked on warily while Raiden's eyes were popping out of his head and Enishi and Sayu looked relieved and awed respectively.

**"Since I rather suspect that these scum are beyond your capabilities, I will eliminate them for you."**

Before the three could blink, Kuromaru had already ran at the wounded one and delivered an uppercut slash, killing it, before he spun in mid-air. _**Zero-shiki!**_ He then threw his tachi with such force that it impaled two more hollows whom had been either unfortunate enough or stupid enough to be standing in a line. A fourth hollow howled with rage and attempted to hammer the shinigami into the ground. Kuromaru sidestepped, ran up along the hollow's arm, and reverse-axe-kicked the hollow under the chin so hard that it flew sixty feet and knocked down two more of its fellows. As the hollows regrouped, Kuromaru landed and considered his options. His sword was out of reach, and these hollows most certainly would make it hard to get to it. Hand-to-hand was fine, but that last blow hurt like hell. Kido was the only option. He leapt high into the air and brought his right hand to his left shoulder. **"Hado. 56, Daikazekiri!"** He whipped his hand at the assembled hollows. There was a brief flash of silver before the sound of flying steel announced the attack. The invisible blade mowed down five of the seven before they could react. But then, Kuromaru dropped heavily on the ground.

_**Damn it! When I use my power, it hurts like fucking hell!**_

_Perhaps you should try not to use my energy._

_**I'm not a hollow!**_

_But it is still your energy, and yours to use. I cannot say whether it will harm you, but there is a chance._

The two hollows ran at the winded shinigami and raised their claws. Kuromaru grimaced.

_**Looks like I don't have a choice.**_

Time slowed as he searched his soul for the tainted black energy and immersed himself fully into it. Surprisingly, there was no pain. _**Strange. I am a shinigami, but my body is more used to hollow energy.**_

That thought vanished when he suddenly felt pain-free power flood his body for the first time ever.

Raiden, Enishi and Sayu barely saw what happened next. One moment, their guide was kneeling heavily, and the next, a gigantic split-second flash of black enveloped the sky. In that split-second, Kuromaru had raised a now-clawed right arm and brought it down with fearful might, obliterating the hollows. When the flash faded, the three saw him stand up and calmly retrieve his zanpaku-to before walking back toward them.

"What the hell was that?! You saw that Enishi?"

"It would be hard not to have seen it, Raiden."

"W-was it a kido spell?" Sayu ventured uncertainly. "It felt weird, like a hollow."

"Don't be stupid," Enishi snapped. "How would he have hollow power? I think it was a spell."

**"As much as I hate to interrupt your speculations, I hate gossip behind my back even more. I believe that this is enough action for you. We're leaving."**

"Y-yes sir!" Raiden answered smartly. Kuromaru gestured toward the senkaimon and entered first, not caring about the looks of admiration on his back from the three. From high above, Yamamoto smiled. An interesting reunion, but one well deserved. Perhaps he should arrange for more in the future.


	7. Chapter 6

**I FINALLY got around to finishing the chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter Six: Sensei

Kuromaru quickly climbed the ranks after proving himself capable of handling others further toward the bottom due in no small part to Yamamoto's own observations. Now holding the seat of vice-captain, he also held a fearsome reputation as one of the greatest duelists in Soul Society, a feat achieved when he bested Shunsui and Ukitake double-teaming him in a spar that ended with Kuromaru holding Ukitake's blade in Shunsui's face while his own blade was positioned to spear the sickly captain. Yamamoto was planning a surprise-trial for him in order to pass on to become a captain.

"Kuromaru-fukutaicho, Yamamoto-taicho is expecting you."

Kuromaru nodded curtly at the two attendants and entered the balcony to see Yamamoto talking to three very familiar people.

"...and I see he has arrived, no doubt held up a little by his training. No matter."

**"Might I respectfully inquire what is going on?"  
**"I think it is time you try to pass your skills onto others, and it shouldn't be too trying for you to do so with students whom you already have more than a passing familiarity with."

Kuromaru angled his hooded head at the three. Raiden stared back in awe before turning to Yamamoto and exclaiming "He's our new sensei?!"

"Indeed he is."

"Yatta!" Enishi and Kuromaru winced slightly at the noise level.

**"...yeesh. Keep it down. And I suppose if I'm going to be teaching you, we should get started right away. Go to the training fields in 6****th**** Rukongai. I will meet you there."**"

Raiden promptly grabbed the other two and dragged them out toward the designated fields while Kuromaru turned to Yamamoto. **"I suppose there is more to this than merely training them?"** he breathed sarcastically.

"I believe that you would be perfect as the next kenpachi, captain of the combat division. However, I need to see that you can whip them into the desired shape. The last few merely commanded a division of brawlers. I need to know that you can handle them."

Kuromaru didn't reply. He simply stood there for three seconds before vanishing into thin air.

***

When the reclusive vice-captain finally showed up at the training grounds, he was greeted by Raiden's excited yell.

**"Hey, do the world a favor and hit the mute button will you?"** he growled.

"S-sorry sir!"

Enishi just muttered "dumbass" while Sayu tried her very best to hide in the middle of nowhere, fidgeting with her fingers.

**"The hell do you think you're doing?"**

"EEP!!"

**"You're a shinigami. Act like one. Don't be scared of your own shadow."**

"K-kuromaru f-fukutaicho!"

**"Yeah yeah, that's just a title. Don't be scared. I don't bite, usually."**

Enishi snickered while Sayu turned sheet-white until Raiden placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and then proceeded to clobber Enishi.

"What the hell are you laughing at?! How about I tell everyone about the time you freaked out over me taking a torch and waving it in your face?"

Enishi weakly fended him off. "Maa maa, how troublesome."

**"And now that we've gotten our comical familiarity rituals out of the way, let's get down to business. First, tell me each of your strengths and weaknesses. I'll decide where to go from there."**

Their personalities mostly reflected their abilities. Raiden was brash, fiery and quick to attack. Enishi was just too lazy to seriously care in a casual situation, but during the time he spent at the academy, none of Raiden's attempts at pranking him succeeded other than the torch in his face. He obviously didn't like fire. Both boys were quick to point out, mostly due to Sayu's refusal to speak, that their sister was afraid of all things sharp and was amazingly fast. "Maybe it comes from flinching at everything that could be pointy," Enishi stated deadpan. Raiden clocked him once again. "Shut the hell up you moron!"

**"Great,"** Kuromaru rumbled. **"I have combat-phobic speed demon, a blockhead who thinks glamour over glitz, and a lazyass know-it-all. The captain really left my work cut out for me. Okay. Raiden, go behind that hill. Enishi, get on top of that plateau. And Sayu, come with me."**

Sayu had not spent so much as a second awake without the company of her two bickering brothers, so she was understandably apprehensive when Kuromaru separated them. "W-where are we g-going s-sir?"

The response chilled her to the core. **"Where no one can hear you scream."**

***

"Bloody fucking sadist!!" Raiden snarled as Kuromaru made him repeat the sequence of slashes, stabs and cuts for the umpteenth time. The vice-captain was a relentless drillmaster who never let up even for a second. As the furious red-head raised the blade once more, ignoring the pain from the blisters on his hands, he remembered exactly what his perfectionist sensei had told him hours ago…

_Flashback_

_"What do you mean I'm no good with a sword?! I killed a bunch of hollows on the field trips from the academy-!"_

_**"-and wasted a ton of unnecessary energy in doing so. Did you ever wonder how your brother wasn't winded while you were gasping for breath? Flashy moves only have the advantage of being distracting or intimidating. Simple moves work the best."**_

_"Bullshit!"_

_**"You mean, 'bullshit, sensei?' "**_

_"Fine! With all due respect, bullshit, sensei!"_

_**"Alright then, come at me, and I'll show you the error of your methods."**_

_Raiden leapt backward, drew his blade and readied himself. "AHHHHHHHH!" he ran forward and attempted a vertical lunging uppercut that Kuromaru merely stepped backward once to avoid. Then while he was in the air, he continued with the motion to spin around and used gravity to add extra oomph to his attack. Kuromaru merely drew his own blade, ducked under the slash and the made as if to perform a lunging thrust before stopping the tip of his blade a mere centimeter from Raiden's forehead._

_**"Your attack build-up was ridiculous. You made your attacks so one-dimensional that it is child's play to avoid getting hit. And you see that I didn't use any flashy moves. I simply waited for an opening, of which you gave me plenty. You obviously have no clue how to really use that weapon, so we'll start from there."**_

_Flashback end_

**"No no no! That's not good enough! You need to have this down much faster. This is a basic approach to fighting an opponent. You need to move fast enough so they can't dodge, and so they have to follow your lead. You need to take control of your opponent fast! Do it again."**

"DAMN IT! WHY CAN'T I GET IT RIGHT?!?!"

***

Enishi danced away from Kuromaru yet again, nursing an angry welt on his forearm. "How many times do I have to do this?"

**"Until I can determine a good fighting style for you. Why do you always lunge?"**

"My blade is too short, and I don't feel like trying to slash with it."

**"…let me guess, too much effort, right?"**

"Too troublesome."

**"Hm, I certainly can't see you as an aggressive fighter, or even fighting at all. We'll have to change that, and I can't really determine a fighting style for you if you haven't released your zanpakuto. Have you tried talking to it?"**

"Meh, too much effort."

**"Boy, you'll have to put some effort into training if you want to be any good. Just because you have the talent doesn't mean you can sleep your way through your duties."**

"…great.

***

Sayu screamed at the top of her lungs continuously as Kuromaru expertly threw knives her way while she was strapped to a board. The screaming only got worse when he ran out of knives and pulled out a huge axe and a morning star.

**"Oh shut up! There are things a lot worse than these, and you wouldn't be treated like this if you weren't so scared of your own damn sword! Besides, it's not like I'm going to kill you-whoops! Almost got you there-"**

Sayu suddenly fell silent as Kuromaru threw a monstrous shuriken that thudded into the board literally right next to her neck, with one blade on the side touching her throat. It would have been comical if she wasn't so petrified. Her light gray hair seemed to be storm black in comparison to her face.

**"Come on! Aren't you angry that I'm pitching these things your way? Doesn't this make you mad? No? Oh well, looks like I have to keep this up until you stop screaming."**

He held up a ridiculously oversized chakram, taller than he was, "accidentally" dropped it on a wooden pole, and then picked it up. Sayu whimpered in fear as she saw that the blade had, with simple gravity acceleration, cut all the way through the pole. Kuromaru then threw it, and it thudded into the board with the blade resting three millimeters above her skull. Sayu did an admirable imitation of a turtle trying to hide, pulling her head down as far as she could. Kuromaru sighed.

**"Okay, that didn't work out the way I hoped. Oh well, on to the next step!"**

This time, the weapons were soaked in oil and lit on fire when he threw them.

***

In a sound proofed room, an unconscious Sayu screamed while Unohana looked on disdainfully at Kuromaru.

**"What? With all due respect, Unohana-taicho, she has to get over her fear of dangerous objects."**

"I am certain that there are better ways to cure her of this than breaking her mind," she replied sternly.

**"Again, with all due respect, I am not screwing with her mind. I am simply using, with your permission, a spell that qualifies as therapy."**

"Still, I really wish that you didn't torture her so, especially when she is like you. If I remember correctly, you suffered harshly as well."

**"Unohana-taicho, the best thing I can do for them is to train them to protect themselves. I cannot train her if she is too afraid to learn.**"

"Yes, that is true," she sighed, and then looked down at Sayu. "but is it worth it?"

Kuromaru didn't answer.

**If that isn't tough love, then I don't know what is. For sure, it's tough therapy, eh? Review, PLEASE!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Well, as I promised in my other story, I'm now working on this one until I can finish it. Here's the next chapter. Review, please!**

Chapter Seven: Progress

Urahara Kisuke tentatively entered the Maggot's Nest and glanced around. He wisely decided to stick along the walls as he explored what was to be his new duty assignment. Most of the people in here kept out of his way, and only a select few even looked at him with malice. He found it quite odd that for a detention facility, no one was restrained or locked up, until he came to a darkened wing with bars at the end. Behind them sat a shrunken figure who apparently didn't take well to confinement.

"…well, you're a new face. Are you my next jailor?"

Urahara nervously placed his right hand behind his head. "Yeah, I'm new here. I was just looking around. I didn't expect to see you there."

"Hmph. You're the first person to speak to me since my incarceration, boy."

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

The figure snorted. "Hardly. I'm simply surprised because most of the shinigami treat me as a criminal."

"Well, what did you do to end up here?"

"I was a scientist. I was researching how to combine hollow and shinigami powers together."

Urahara's head spun. "I-is that even possible?!"

Binichi Murakami snorted again. "You are an odd one. I would have expected you to say something along the lines of 'But that's forbidden!' "

Urahara shook himself. "To be honest, I never even heard about that. All I know is that we shinigami purify hollows. I'm just curious."

Murakami squinted at him. "Are you actually interested in what I have to say, boy?"

Urahara shrugged. "It sounds interesting. Hollow and shinigami powers are opposing forces. I think it might be worthwhile to see what happens when you combine them."

The scientist chuckled. "Okay then, boy. Here's what I'd like you to do for me, if you can…"

* * *

Kuromaru would never admit it, but his three "students" had grown on him. They had also matured somewhat. At least Sayu wasn't going into a full-blown panic state whenever he drew his blade in front of her (she still had aichmophobia).

Enishi spent the majority of his time trying to hide in the Eight Division headquarters with Shunsui. Kuromaru was still looking for the asshole who introduced the two to each other with sake to boot. There was a pool betting on who could drink more. Currently, Shunsui held the top. Go figure.

Raiden hated the current crop of lessons on account that they consisted of _dance,_ a fact that he vehemently protested.

"Why in the fucking hell do I have to learn some stupid ballet?!"

"**First of all, it's dance, not ballet. Second, because I said so. Dance is where you move using the ground with multiple purposes such as agility and evasion. Footwork is important in battle on the ground because if you lose your footing, you are off balance. And if you are off balance, the enemy has a nice opening to aim for. You unbalance yourself after every attack and sequence you make! An academy freshman could overpower you that way! You fail to understand that the most important part of combat is the footwork! You must have balance in order to move, or you become the flailing idiot who doesn't even notice the cliff edge he steps over.**"

Raiden grumbled something about "girly stuff."

"**Alright, how about I have Sayu kick your ass right now? She doesn't even like using a sword, but I have no doubt that she could beat you.**"

The result was memorable enough that Enishi had actually came to the training grounds of his own volition, which was rare enough, and then found himself laughing so hard at Raidens expense that he couldn't even stand up straight.

Sayu ducked, dodged and weaved so fast that Raiden tripped over his own feet trying to hit her. Several times. Finally, Sayu dodged around a slim tree that Raiden simply cut down, not even thinking about how it would eventually fall on top of him. Kuromaru couldn't help himself as he even brought out a sketch pad to immortalize Raiden wildly cursing and flailing his arms while Sayu, at Enishi's prodding, decorated Raidens face with a pen.

There was no doubt that Sayu was fast. She and Shihouin Yoruichi enjoyed playing tag in the backyard of the Shihouin estate, which usually ended when Shihouin Kazuki picked up both girls by the back of their shirts and told them to clean up the mess of the gardens.

The Shihouin heiress was actually quite jealous of her friend. Despite the fact that both girls had been shinigami for only a few months, Sayu was being taught by a vice-captain/Division captain-designate. Of course, she pestered her father until he finally gave in and began to teach her the more advanced arts.

Of course, Yamamoto was never blind to this. Having instigated the sessions, he regularly used Ukitake to spy on the quartet. If one had the courage to enter the Soutaicho's office on one particular day, they might have borne witness to the very rare sight of Yamamoto laughing quietly with Kyouraku and Ukitake over Raiden's embarrassing lesson.

Kuromaru was well aware of all this, and these thoughts ran through his mind as he greeted the attendants and entered the balcony office.

"**Soutaicho, may I have a moment of your time?**"

Yamamoto turned from the railing and regarded him with his usual impassive gaze. "Yes?"

"**Seeing as you are eventually appointing me to lead the Eleventh, I wish to make my first, if not official, nominations for my division. Please allow me to take my 'students' along with me.**"

Yamamoto smiled. "There is hardly any need for that façade. I'm well aware that behind that cultivated image of detachment, you deeply care for those children."

"**Well damn, old man. How did you know?**" Kuromaru asked rhetorically, though not bitingly.

"Of course, you may take them with you. I daresay that if what Jushiro tells me about their progress is correct, Kaizuki may approach you for help on instructing his own men, or he may leave that task to his daughter."

"**Great,**" Kuromaru commented dryly. "**More idiots to teach, along with the combat division.**"

"There is the formality of the Captaincy Exam, so…"

"**Before that, I believe you wanted to see for yourself just how much they improved under my lessons. Shall we, taicho?**"

* * *

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS BEFORE?!?!" Raiden screamed in a panicky voice.

"**It slipped my mind.**" Kuromaru answered glibly.

Enishi looked down from his lounging post on the branch of a tree. "A test in front of the Soutaicho himself? Man. If I knew about this before, I wouldn't have come here today."

Sayu stood by nervously as Raiden attempted to pummel Kuromaru, (and failed, being held at arms length) playing with her fingers and wishing wholeheartedly that she could disappear.

"Meh, Sayu?"

She looked up at Enishi, who was slowly but surely readying himself for the test as he extricated himself from the branches.

"Don't worry. Sensei isn't going to give us something he thinks we cant do. It'll be fine."

"O-o-okay!"

Kuromaru, meanwhile, was tiring of the pathetic attempts to kill him. "**Raiden, shouldn't you be saving your strength for the test instead of punching air?**"

Raiden leapt back, glowering at him fiercely.

"**Alright you three, consider this a final exam. You'll be sparring with me, and I expect you to go all out. That means you may use your shikai. Remember what I taught you so far. You'll fight until I say so. Ready?**"

"HAI!"

"**No you're not. You expect to fight me with your bare hands?**"

Enishi waved his zanpaku-to in front of himself. "_I'm_ ready. They aren't."

Sayu underwent a change so abrupt that it was startling to even Yamamoto. Her face no longer held any sign of fear or nerves. Just an iron determination to succeed as she drew her blade.

Raiden unsheathed his Dao and assumed a stance that had him facing his left side toward Kuromaru, right hand holding the blade straight like a spear, left hand near his face for counterbalancing a charge, and most of his weight on his left leg.

All three of them summoned their energy, though they all showed signs of some internal pain. Yamamoto raised an eyebrow, but before he could ask, Kuromaru answered his unspoken question.

"For some reason, all four of us find it painful to use our powers. I don't know why this is so. Something to look into for Unohana-sempai, perhaps?"

Yamamoto nodded and reached for a Hell butterfly while Kuromaru raised his blade in mock salute. "Begin!"

* * *

Surprisingly, it was Sayu who made the first contact. She blew right past Raiden and slammed her blade against Kuromaru's in a shower of sparks. Enishi took this time to prepare a spell while Raiden moved in behind Sayu and hauled back his arm.

In one moment, Sayu twisted out of the way, Raiden delivered a brutal overhand chop and Enishi finished Bakudo 63. Sajo Sabaku and whipped his arm at Kuromaru.

Kuromaru pushed his blade off of Sayu's as she rolled to the right, gaining leverage as he jumped left to dodge Raiden's blow. Then he pirouetted in midair and slashed at the golden ropes causing them to explode before they could reach him. He landed and faced Enishi, who was as stunned as the other two.

"Keep in mind that I tried my best to teach you, but I didn't teach you everything." He gestured at his blade, from which a wisp of hollow energy, nigh unnoticeable, escaped from.

* * *

Urahara looked at the sheets in his had in complete disbelief.

"But Murakami-san, if these calculations are accurate-"

"Precisely, boy. It means that shinigami and hollows both have the potential for infinite growth and evolution."

Urahara looked up and through the bars of the cell in front of him.

"Is that even possible?" he whispered in quiet awe.

"I have checked my own calculations numerous times, as you can see. These papers aren't there for nothing."

"But how would we go about achieving that? I can't see how even the Soutaicho, with this kind of potential, is still pretty much the same after two thousand years."

"Boy, every soul has the potential to be a hollow or shinigami, right?"

Urahara nodded.

"So why do you think we only see _either_ a shinigami _or_ a hollow?"

Urahara thought for a few moments. "Because there are limits on a soul?"

"More like a barrier between the two halves. Now, can you imagine what would happen if you eliminate that barrier?"

"The soul could evolve indefinitely," Urahara answered with a whisper.

"Exactly, boy. This is what I was working on before I was arrested and sent here. I was trying to figure out how to remove that barrier."

"Do you know how?"

"No, and I'll probably never find out the results of my last experiment. There are two ways to remove it: in a soul's infancy or latency. Infancy is the easiest. The soul would not have fully developed and would therefore be more susceptible to change. In latency, the barrier would be fully set and I have no idea how to break down the barrier then. This is where I'll really need your help, boy. While I'm stuck in this cell, I cannot access the tools I need. If you could release me from the cell and then fetch me some materials, I can try and figure out how to solve that issue."

Urahara thought for a moment, and then smiled. "It might take me some time, but I can get you out of this thing eventually."

Murakami snorted. "Well, I'm not going anywhere. I can wait, boy."

* * *

Enishi decided that his time and energy would be better devoted to physical attack rather than kido. With an audible "What a pain," he readied his wakizashi. "Pierce the night, Tsukiyomi!"

Yamamoto's eyes widened ever so slightly as Enishi was engulfed in a swirl of reiatsu. When it cleared, he was holding a spear with two sapphires on either side of the head. The air itself seemed to become colder as he twirled it casually before leaping at Kuromaru and stabbing. Kuromaru parried, and Enishi landed and continued to attack while Raiden took a breather and called out his shikai. "Take flight and burn the skies, Amaterasu!"

Yamamoto wasn't quite as surprised to discover that Raiden's zanpaku-to was a fire-type. He _was_ surprised that Raiden managed to handle the oversized weapon so easily for his size and age, let alone work in tandem with his brother.

Kuromaru deflected a sideways cutter from the axe and sent it towards Enishi, who merely ducked and whipped his spear upward, forcing Kuromaru to block down and retreat. He didn't get far, though. Enishi's repeated clashes with his blade had managed to ice over his tachi, and Sayu appeared out of nowhere from behind and lashed out with a wind blast from her own shikai. Once again Yamamoto was stunned. _When did she release it? How did I not notice it?_

Kuromaru leapt sideways, turned and fired a bolt from his fingertips. "**Hado 4, Byakurai!**"

It went completely through Sayu, who abruptly turned into a rock dummy. The real Sayu was actually next to Raiden, readying a wind attack while he prepared a fire blast.

"FLAME DEVIL TANDEM SPIRAL!"

The whirlwind swept up the fire and drilled its way toward Kuromaru. That wasn't all however. Before they had attacked, Enishi had performed an attack of his own.

"Lunar Prison!"

Kuromaru was surrounded by an ice dome as the flame drill literally bored in. It never made contact.

A ball of pure white light erupted from the center, shattering the ice and easily dispelling the whirling flames. In the middle of it, Kuromaru no longer held a katana, but a staff with an orb of light at the tip. "**Tenchu no Hikari. Ichijin Kaihou, Shouheki Reiki**" (Light of Heaven's Justice. First Release: Barrier Aura) He held a benign smile on his face. "**You actually forced me to use this, so I'd say that you pass, right Soutaicho?**"

Yamamoto smiled back. "You certainly have proven yourself a capable teacher, Kuromaru."

**Note: Kuromaru's zanpaku-to here is different that in the other story for reasons I will explain later. Next up, Reforming the Eleventh Division!**


End file.
